JOHN SMITH.

      John Smith was born in Sullivan county, East Tennessee, October 15, A. D. 1784, and died in Mexico, Missouri, February 28, A. D. 1868, having reached the venerable age of eighty-three years four months and thirteen days. George Smith, of German parents, married Miss Rebecca Bowen, of Irish descent; settled in East Tennessee and raised a goodly family of boys and girls, of which John was the most prominent. His parents were Regular Baptists of the strictest order, both in faith and life. The educational opportunities were very meager. About four months, in a log school house, were all the boy had in his earlier years, and not more than two months all told at a later period. And yet but few men spoke better English than he. When far advanced in age, it was noticed that he made no mistakes in the construction of his sentences, or in the meaning or pronunciation of his words. His speeches would do to print just as he pronounced them. He was asked how he had succeeded in getting such an accurate knowledge of English grammar. He said that during his whole life, he had paid the closest attention to the best speakers and writers, and had copied their diction.

      Physically, our hero was about perfect. His constitution would warrant him a century of active life, and there is little doubt that he would have reached that period if he had lived and worked as he might have done. While his early life was one of toil and strict economy, his health, and strength suffered nothing on that account. After opening a farm in Tennessee, the father moved into Stockton Valley, Kentucky. Here the youth worked in opening the farm, climbed the mountains, loitered and traded with the Cherokee hunters and became somewhat familiar with their tongue. He was very conscientious during his whole life. Yet in his younger days he was the life of the family or the crowd of young people. If in an unguarded moment he had been enticed into a game of cards, he seized the first opportunity to confess it all to his father and promise not to repeat the offence. He did not doubt the correctness of the religion of his parents, but was many times tempted to regard himself as having been passed by in the council of redemption. That he was as bad as the Harpies, who were [410] murderers, demons incarnate, he could hardly believe. Yet he had to believe that human nature is totally depraved. If so, he was as bad as they, for there could be no degrees in total. Even those escape-graces could not be wore than totally depraved.

      He was perplexed with still a harder question, for he was told that if the Holy Ghost should be sent to him because he was of the elect, he would see himself as the worst person in the world. Just why he should have to see himself in such an unfavorable light, when he knew it was not so, was the troublesome feature in the matter. And yet he came to it, for he decided that his opportunities had been so much better than the murderers, afore mentioned, that, after all, he was worse than they. This gave him some hope. He earnestly prayed over the salvation of his soul, and found no relief for a long time. Finally, when his mental forces were exhausted in his grief, he had the usual reversion of experience and felt that he had been saved. His brother told him that he was saved. Still his doubts returned to him and he was miserable. Finally, however, he was persuaded to present himself to the church and tell his struggles, lights and shadows, to those who had passed safely through the wilderness of doubt and slough of despond. The good old brethren knew at once that he was saved, that he was one of the fore-ordained to eternal life. Accordingly he was baptized and received into the church.

      But his troubles were not at an end. Naturally he was a cheerful and clear-minded person, and, having accepted of God's offer of salvation, he did not doubt his saved condition. But he was told that all the truly saved have doubts about it, and he could not doubt, and so he began to doubt because he did not doubt.

      He had been taught that keeping company with the opposite sex was not right except where marriage was a strong probability. But he could not regard it wrong to love Anna Townsend, and was married to her December 9, 1806. He opened a farm and he and his industrious and faithful Anna passed a delightful beginning in a log house, minus all the furniture now known as a necessity to housekeeping. Before this the motions of the Spirit had told on the mind of Smith, making it tolerably clear that he ought to preach, but he had to wait for the call. It came, however, to the satisfaction of all, and was never doubted, because he was gifted. The Lord prospered him, and he was persuaded by the advertisements of land in Alabama that it would be right for him to sell his farm and get land near Huntsville, Ala. As the second war with England was nearing a conclusion the land would rise in value in a few years, and then he would be able to preach the gospel without money and without price. He was doing that any way, but with this increase of means he could leave his family in comfortable condition while be would be away in the Lord's work. As the result of the enterprise he lost all, or nearly all, he had. While he was away from home, and his wife was administering to the sick, his house burned and two of his children. Here his theology gave him trouble. If that dear boy and girl were not among the elect then they were lost forever. And it is quite evident that his views on election began to change with this misfortune. The wife waned, sickened and died. He was stricken with the cold plague, and lay for months at the point of death. When he recovered, he returned to Kentucky and began again to build up a little hope of home for his children in the future. His strength was shattered and, perhaps, the shaking palsy, from which he had a long and severe trial in later years, was contracted in Alabama.

      After his return to Kentucky it was thought best for him to go among the stronger churches near the middle of the state and marry again this time into conditions which would assist him in giving himself to the ministry without fear of poverty. But he chose Nancy Hurt for his wife, though from the poorer walks. She was wise-hearted, faithful and frugal. She bore him eleven children, cared for the little farm in his absence. Her counsel was wise, her heart was true, and she shared his toil till the time of her death in 1860.

      When Mr. Campbell began the publication of the Christian Baptist, Smith was ready to read it, though he stood in doubt of some of his positions. He went and heard him and followed him and studied the doctrine of the Restoration, till he grew into sympathy with it in every respect. This brought on a war with his own brethren. He loved them and they loved him, and still they grew apart. Many churches went with him. But, then, there was another trouble still further along. The Christians, under the teaching of Barton [411] W. Stone, John T. Johnson, John Rogers, etc., were pleading largely for the same things that were being advocated by Mr. Campbell. Smith was in favor of a council. It was held at Lexington. Smith and Stone were the speakers, and they agreed, and a union was effected. This union, however, was not universal.

      In the accurate knowledge of the Scriptures and in real success in the work of the ministry, few men in the history of the world, have equaled plain John Smith. His scholarship was limited to English, and yet he had a wide range of knowledge. He studied the word of God constantly and thought God's thoughts after Him. Very much of his life he preached twice a day and brought people into the kingdom of Christ by the hundreds everywhere he went. Philip S. Fall announced him once in Frankfort, Ky., as "Raccoon John Smith," and that classic cognomen clung to him ever afterwards. His German doggedness and Irish wit combined to make him a pleasant friend and a strong opponent. Few men were ever feared and loved as he. Kindly disposed to every one, yet his love for truth and hatred for error and wrong, kept him always on the alert to help what he believed to be right and hinder what he regarded as wrong. Believing that Calvinism was responsible for much injurious doctrine, and delay in the service of the Lord, he fought it to the last with a right good will. For many years toward the close of his life he shook like a leaf and was not able to feed himself, and yet he seemed to be able to endure a great deal of fatigue. He had a self-poise that put every one at ease who heard him. He would pour forth a volume of good sense and Bible knowledge that entertained and instructed the multitude. The people hung eagerly upon his words.

      After the death of his faithful Nancy he visited among his children and was in Kentucky or Missouri with friends and relatives. He never failed to attend the Lord's house when he was able to overcome the distance, and if he was at all able to speak, that duty was laid upon him. He preached almost to the last day of his life. And on one occasion, mounted a seat and exhorted with all the vigor of his earlier days. His body was taken from Mexico, Mo., back to his old friends in Kentucky to rest till he shall be called up higher. When the voice of the Master shall be heard by those who are in the graves, he will awake to eternal life. Already his righteous spirit rests, being comforted in the bosom of Abraham.

[COC 410-412]